The Viterals

Chapter 21: Zakana's Answer

A mother needs her babies just as badly as her babies need her. If not more. The mother knows when its babies are not there, but a young newborn will only notice the absence of its mother once the connection has been made, once it knows there is a mother to have. Some young may remember but the mother can never forget.

Did he remember mother? The boy with the auburn brown eyes, who could laugh at a moment's notice? The boy buried somewhere underneath the cold grey earth, what would be the last thing he remembered?

Zakana wondered this as he pressed a pack of ice to his left eye. Through his right he watched Bambi's Umbreon nurse four of her babies back to health. Of the original, now two were missing—the one stolen by the Clamp Ball in the forest, and the one Lyres had taken that night to keep watch over while the others ran. It should have been returned to Bambi but it wasn't. She didn't cry. Neither did Zakana. Neither did Yumin after Zakana had punched him back. No one cried. A silence as loud as the black abyss surrounding them roared.

Did they deserve to be fighting like this? Did Zakana deserve what he got? A big fat slug, unseen and unheard directly in the eye socket—did Yumin get what he deserved right back? Zakana's voice felt scratchy from screaming at Farore and at Yumin after he picked himself off the floor and returned the blow. Another screaming match had ensued, and still Zakana wondered. So he asked.

"Why did you punch me?"

Yumin pressed small cubes of ice to his lower lip where Zakana had connected. He kept his gaze to the ground.

A slap from his mother, a punch from his cousin. What would Kirish's gift be?

"Because I was tired of listening to you defend yourself," Yumin said, completely unremorseful. "Words don't work anymore. I saw my chance and I took it."

For once, Zakana said nothing. He took his licks without lashing out now. His breaths were soft and shallow. It wouldn't change Yumin's mind anyway. They had gone from 36 Pokémon to 24 in a matter of seconds. From 7 trainers to 5. Zakana didn't feel bad for letting them go. Isaque was a threat to his well being. They didn't know each other he had decided. It was just a trick to try to get closer to his family. Clearly, they weren't on his side anyway and Isaque didn't actually care about him. That was Zakana's answer.

He slept. Dreams came that night with a vengeance. They remained stuck in that place night after night in the darkness of Zakana's mind. Time passed and it seemed to come true. They stayed there, unable to escape, the numbers outside growing with every rotation of the planet. Food in the refrigerator dwindled and Farore suggested that she go out and look for more. Yumin said it was impossible. He was in a sour mood ever since the punches. His lip swelled like a Qwilfish, reddened like an Octillery. He talked out of the side of his mouth.

"We don't even have a tiny bird that can send messages!" It came out garbled and grotesque. "Braviary won't wake even from Super Potions or Revives!" There was crazed fear in his eyes as he paced around the warehouse, thinking of ways to make his Pokémon stronger without weakening them. Zakana attempted to do the same.

He released Slowpoke and Happiny from their Pokeballs and pit them against each other. Happiny, spunky and full of life would roll at Slowpoke, who was the complete opposite, drained and slow. Neither of them seemed to do anything special. Zakana snapped open Oodi to see what else they could do.

"Happiny's move set: Pound, Charm, Copycat, Sweet Kiss."

"What is Sweet Kiss?"